Jack McCaffery: Phillies showing signs of turning up the power

Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Aaron Altherr (23) bats during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Saturday, May 13, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

PHILADELPHIA >> By the time the Phillies had played them for the 12 time in their first 25 games, Pete Mackanin was almost down to two methods to deal with the Washington Nationals offense.

Cover eyes.

Hold ears.

Wait it out.

“You look at their lineup, and not in any particular order, they’ve got (Daniel) Murphy, they’ve got (Anthony) Rendon, they’ve got (Ryan) Zimmerman, they’ve got (Bryce) Harper,” Mackanin was saying the other day, between games of a day-night doubleheader at Nationals Park. “Every time those guys come up they put fear in you. It’s like, ‘Uh oh.’

“That’s where we need to get to.”

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For all the discussion about the starting pitchers’ inability to work past dark, or a bullpen that seems good for one tragic pitch a night, Mackanin had circled around to the Phillies’ central problem: The difference between the middle of their order and a middle of the order for a contender: The spectacle. The sound. The anticipation that comes when the three, four, five or six hitters come strolling toward the plate. And all of it – the problem, and the promise – was on display early Sunday, as it was again late.

The Phillies don’t win often. They’ve lost 12 of their last 15, including two of three against the Nats over the weekend. But in their one victory, 4-3 Sunday afternoon, they showed why and how it could be done. Down, 3-0, in the seventh, Tommy Joseph pounded his fifth homer of the season the opposite way to right. Still trailing, 3-1, Aaron Altherr led off the ninth by hitting his third homer to left. With one out, Maikel Franco provided the hardest hit ball of the rally, a loud shot high off the center field fence, good for a one-out double. “Wow, that was close,” he said. “I don’t even want to talk about it.” Then Cameron Rupp doubled and then it was the Nationals’ pitchers who were bothered by the explosion.

“Without question, that’s what we need,” Mackanin said. “We need that middle of the lineup to be consistent and drive in runs.”

In essence, that’s not the most revolutionary baseball quotation of all time. What team doesn’t need the middle of its lineup driving in runs? But for three reasons, it is particularly relevant to the Phils.

One: They were expecting more power than they’ve received.

Two: they have the ability.

Three: with that bullpen, they are not going to win any other way.

That’s why the clubhouse seemed so liberated between games Sunday, a tension broken. For not only had the Phillies won, but that middle of the order performed as designed. Joseph had 25 home runs in limited 2016 play, but wobbled off to a slow start. Franco can be feared for his ability to hit a line drive over a fence, but had been struggling. Michael Saunders, who made an All-Star team last season for his ability to hit home runs, has yet to adjust to the National League. But he was 4-for-8 with a double in the Washington series and has been hitting the ball hard lately. Rupp was 3-for-8 with three RBIs in Washington and has had two home runs in May. And Altherr, who began the season on the injured list, has had six home runs in the last 13 days.

“Sure was nice to see Joseph hit that home run to get us on the board, and Altherr get us an inch closer,” Mackanin said. “Great to see. Rupp obviously had a big hit to tie it ...”

Joseph has made it a point to be more selective. Altherr has shortened his swing. Franco has been working closely with hitting coach Matt Stairs. All can be dangerous hitters. And every once in a while …

“That was awesome,” Joseph said, after the Phillies’ victory. “Awesome.”

So it can happen. But for how long? The answer will define the rest of the Phillies season, which has a chance to turn satisfying, beginning Tuesday in Texas, after a wicked early schedule. They won’t be the Nationals with that championship-ready, uh-oh lineup that makes managers want to look the other way.

“But they know,” Mackanin said, “we play them tough.”

They can. They have. At times. Sunday afternoon was one of those times.

“We hit some home runs,” Mackanin said, exhaling. “They hit some home runs.”

That was a deal, at least, that he could take.

To contact Jack McCaffery, email him at jmccaffery@21st-centurymedia.com; follow him on Twitter @JackMcCaffery